Disappearing golf tee



.L F.l zl-:LLER

DI SAPPEARING GOLF TEE Filed Oct. 20. 1921 INVENTOR. JACOB EZELLER ATTORNEY i Patented Jan. l, 1924. v

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrlcr..

JACOB F. ZELLER, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DISAFPEARING GOLF TEE.

Application led October 20, 1921. Serial No. 509,086.

To all 'who/m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB F. ZELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Disappearing Golf Tees, of which the following is ia specification. v

My invention relates to ay golf tee, the

principal objects of my invention being to provide a tee or supporting element for golf balls that may be readily adjusted so as to support a golf ball at diii'erent elevations relative to the surface of the ground adjacent to the tee, and further to provide a device of the character referred to that will eliminate the time and labor involved in building up or forming the usual tee of sand.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a readily adjustable golf tee that may be easily and cheaply produced, and further to construct a ball receiving member of relatively soft rubber or the like, and

to mount the same so that it will yield readily n the direction of travel of the club ptilllized in striking or driving the supported With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel vfeatures of construction and arrange-ment of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a golf ball tee of-my, improved construction, the same being positioned in the ground as required for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

ig. 3 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 3-3-of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.- is a detail section taken approx imately on the line 4:'-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a box. like structure of wood, metal,

concrete, or the like, and which when set up for use is positioned in a suitable pit or excavation in the ground.

The top of the chamber within the box like structure is closed by a sectionl 11 of material such as rubber or a composition member 11 and frame 12 are fastening de- 4 vices such as screws 13 that firmly retain 'the cover in position upon the member 1U.

Formed in the cover member 11, preferably adjacent to one end thereof, is a longi-I tudinally disposed slot 14. A vertically disposed link 15 is provided at its upper end with horizontally disposed pintles 16 that are journalled in suitable bearings in the side walls of the box like structure, and the lower end of this link is bifurcated in order to receive the horizontally disposed leg of an L-shaped arm 17, and the latter being pivotally connected to said link 15 by a pin 18.

The rear end of the horizontal` leo' of member 17 is provided with a counterbalancing weight 19, and removably arranged on the upper end of the vertical leg of said member17 is a short tubular section 20 of rubber or like flexible material. The upper portion of this flexible tubular member 20 projects through the slot 14 so that the upper end of said member that receives the golf ball, occupies a position slightly above the topsurface of cover member 11.

The front portion of the member 20 that projects above the vertical leg of member 17 is indented or pressed rearwardly as designated by 203, thus forming a relatively narrow neck 20", a short distance below the upper end of said member, and

the event that its upper, portion is'struck by a golf club that is utilized in' driving the supported ball.

Arranged for rotation in the side walls of the structure 10 below the rear end of slot 14, is a transversely disposed shaft 21, one end Vof which projects beyond one of the side walls of the housing and receives a disk or small hand wheel 22, whereby said shaft maiy be engaged and rotated.

ixed on the-intermediate portion of the shaft 21 is an eccentric disk 23, the edge of which bears directly `against the rear" side of that portion'of the tubular member 20 that encloses the upturned end of arm 17.

By engaging disk 22 and rotating shaft 21,

the upturned end of member 17 may be moved forward through the slot 11i, and as such action takes place the upper end of the member 20 gradually swings downward toward the cover member l1, and thus the golf ball may be located at different elevations relative to the upper. surface of the cover member 11.

When the structure 10 is positioned in the ground, a pocket is formed in the ground immediately adjacent to the device, and which pocket enables the disk or hand wheel 22 to be readily engaged.

In the use of the device, after the pivot arm has been adjusted so that the upper end of member 20 occupies the desired horizontal plane, the ball is positioned on the upper end of `said tubular member, and said ball is then struck or driven in the usual manner.

After the ball leaves the upper end of tubular member 20, the counter-balancing weight 19 restores the arm 17 and member 2() to their normal positions, and should the upper end of the member 20 be engaged by the club when the ball is struck, said member .20l will yield readily at the narrow neck 20b without offering appreciable resistance to the force of the club.

A golf tee of my improved construction is relatively simple, may be easily and cheaply produced, and is very effective in performing its intended functions.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved golf tee, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

' l claim as my invention:

1. A golf tee, comprising a housing,asec

. tion of flexible material closing the top thereof, there being a slot formed in said flexible covering, a substantially L-shaped arm pivotally mounted within the housing, and a flexible tubular member indented on one side and carried by the Vertical leg of said l -shaped arm and projecting upwardly through the slot in said cover member.

2. VA golf tee, comprising a housing, a sectionof flexible material closing the top thereof, there being a slot formed in lsaid flexible covering, a substantially Il -shaped arm `pivotally mounted within the housing, a flexible tubular member carried by the vertical leg of said [L -shaped arm and proy jecting upwardly through the slot in said garage@ cover member, and means for adjusting the position of said [L-shaped member.

3. lin a golf tee, a housing, a covering therefor, said covering being provided with a slot, a counter-balanced L-shaped member pivotally mounted within the housing, and a tubular member of flexible material carried by the vertical leg of said counter-balanced member, and projecting upwardly through the slot in said Cover.

4. lin a golf tee, a housing, a covering therefor, said covering being provided with a slot, a counter-balanced l..shaped member pivotally mounted within the housing, a tubular member of flexible material carried by the vertical leg of said counter-balance member, and projecting upwardly through the slot in said cover, and means for adjusting the position of said counter-balanced member.

5. ln a golf tee, a housing, a flexible cover therefor which cover is provided with a slot, a link pivotally arranged within the housing, a counter-balanced L-shaped member 'pivotally connected to said link, and a tubular member of flexible material carried by the vertical leg of said H.-shaped member, and projecting upwardly through the slot invsaid cover. j

6. In a golf' tee, ahousing, a flexible cover therefor which cover is provided with a slot, a link pivotally arranged within the housing, a counter-balanced [L-shaped member pivotally connected to said lilik, a tubular member of flexible material carried by the vertical leg of said L-shaped member, and projecting upwardly through the slot in said cover, and'means for adjusting the position of said counter-balanced H -shaped member.

7. ln a golf tee, a supported member, a tubular member of flexible material carried by and projecting upwardly from said supported member, and which tubular member is indented on one side to form a relatively narrow neck portion to permit it to yield readily in one direction.

8. ln a golf tee, a pivotally mounted member, a tubular member of flexible material carried by and projecting upwardly from vsaid pivotally mounted member, and which tubular member is indented on one side to form a relatively narrow neck p ortion whereby said member will bend readily in one direction.

ll'n testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

JACUB l?. ZELLER. 

